PREVIEW

Climate Change Threatens Global Biodiversity as Endangered Species List Grows. 'The Independent' reports that climate change's impact on the planet's worsening biodiversity crisis has resulted in more deadly environments for thousands of species. According to an international organization that tracks species health, climate change has accelerated the significant decline in the number of plants and animals on the planet. Among the species threatened by Earth's increasing temperature are various species of fish and amphibians. Between 2006 and 2020, the Atlantic salmon population dropped by nearly a quarter, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The species is now considered threatened. On December 11, leaders of the IUCN updated their Red List of Threatened Species, which tracks biodiversity across the planet. 'The Independent' reports that this year's list includes information on 157,000 threatened species, an increase of about 7,000 species compared to 2022. According to the IUCN, over 44,000 species are currently threatened by extinction, approximately 2,000 more than in 2022. "Species around the world are under huge pressure. So no matter where you look, the numbers of threatened species are rising.", Craig Hilton-Taylor, Head of the Red List unit at the IUCN, via 'The Independent'. The IUCN update found that amphibians face the greatest risk, with approximately 41% of these species currently under threat. "They are climate captives because of higher temperatures, drought — whatever happens amphibians cannot move out of harm's way and are directly impacted by climate change.", Vivek Menon, Deputy chair of the IUCN's species survival commission, via 'The Independent’. THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT